A blog on Cuddalore. CuddaloreOnline contains 'developement oriented' news about Cuddalore, new projects that can be taken up for the development of the town, status of ongoing projects, comments and photographs of Cuddalore. You can also find posts dealing with several aspects of urban planning & design and other issues of general interests (esp.environmental issues). Subscribe for newsletters and join the CuddaloreOnline group.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

"A somewhat controversial study that is expected to be published later this year in the British Journal of Psychology has, not surprisingly, sparked quite a bit of debate in the blog world. The study shows that, on average, men score five points higher on IQ tests." reports CNET.

Saturday, August 20, 2005

The track extension work at Anna Stadium got completed.But now the level ground aside the track is higher than the track itself.This will lead to to stagantion of the water in track during the rainy season.

Large heap of drainage waste in dumped in front of the Government Eye Hospital.These wastes would have been probably collected from the drainages in the Hospital Road and remains uncleared for quiet a long time.

For more than a couple of weeks I have been waiting to see if there is any replacement made either by AIRTEL or the Cuddalore Municipality to restore the broken foothpath tiles in front of Durai Plaza.The tiles towards the outer end of the foothpath were broken.Certainly this would have been averted if the workers were a bit careful.I think ARITEL is yet to bring more such damage to the public properties here before starting its landline service.

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Cuddalore SIPCOT Industries Association (CSIA) has admitted to excessive presence of two Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Chloroform and Triethylamine in the air according to findings of an air quality study conducted by Shiva Analyticals (India) Limited on behalf of CSIA.

The industry study tested for 21 toxic gases, in addition to standard parameters, in ambient air samples collected between 25 and 28 November, 2004, at 10 locations in and around SIPCOT. The study will be used as base data for carrying out regular monitoring at SIPCOT, K Indra Kumar, secretary, CSIA said.

'The tests confirmed the presence of at least 13 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the air out of which two VOCs chloroform and triethylamine are found exceeding in two locations.' The association has asked two companies to bring down the emission level of chloroform and triethylamine in the air, he noted. The industries would bring down the VOC to prescribed limits, if Pollution Control Board sets standards for VOC and Sulphur-based gases, he said.

'In September 2004, the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee instructed the Central Pollution Control Board to develop standards for VOC. The SCMC asked the board use United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) norms until the standards are developed,' M Nizamudeen, member, SIPCOT Area Community Environmental Monitors (SACEM).

Comparing the CSIA's study report to the USEPA, Nizamudeen, said, levels of chloroform were nearly 20,000 times higher than safe levels prescribed by US EPA Region 6 standards. Acrylonitrile found in the sample on top of Tagros Security-West room exceeded Region 6 levels by a factor of 6008. 1,2-dichloroethane found in the sample from Shasun Chemicals SW corner was 194 times safe levels, and Trichloroethylene levels as far away as Sonnanchavadi exceeded safe levels by a factor of 1237. All four chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens.

Chloroform and acetonitrile were found in six and eight out of 10 samples respectively. Eleven out of 13 chemicals found in the CSIA study are used as raw materials by SIPCOT industries, indicating the escape of these chemicals through fugitive emissions into the air breathed by SIPCOT residents. Six of the 13 chemicals found are potential human carcinogens, and confirmed animal carcinogens.

'The study by SIPCOT industries confirm SIPCOT Area Community Environmental Monitors's (SACEM) earlier studies that SIPCOT air is not fit to breathe,' Nizamudeen said. In September 2004 and May 2005, SACEM released two reports Gas Trouble I and Gas Trouble II that found at least 24 chemicals including 20 volatile organic compounds (VOC) and four sulphur compounds. SACEM's study tested for 69 VOCs and 20 sulphur compounds whereas CSIA conducted study only for 20 VOCs and 1 sulphur compound.

Meanwhile, TNPCB has asked Mumbai-based National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to conduct a study on air quality in SIPCOT Cuddalore for 35 parameters of VOCs, sources in TNPCB told News Today. The board also asked the Central Pollution Control Board to set standards for toxic VOC and Sulphur based gases, so that result provided by NEERI air quality in Cuddalore can be compared with it, he said. NEERI has already completed preliminary tests last month and full report will be out in one year from August, he added. TNPCB has so far paid Rs 10 lakh of a total of Rs 21 lakh demanded by NEERI for the project, he noted.

IL&FS, one of the partners in the textile processing park to be set up at Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, has been appointed the nodal agency for overseeing the setting up of the shared infrastructure. It will also oversee operations and maintenance.

South Indian Mills Association (SIMA) and State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Sipcot) will jointly set up the park. Sipcot has already earmarked 1,100 acres of land for the purpose.

The association is laying great store by this project as it will both give the cluster state of the art infrastructure and eliminate the chronic environmental problems that have beset Tirupur, the established textile knitwear cluster.

The frist phase will cover 300 acres with an investment of Rs 500-600 crore. The total investment will be about Rs 2,500 crore. This will provide direct employment for 15,000 people and indirect employment for 75,000 people.

The Tamil Nadu government is providing land at economical costs. “Most of the investment is coming from blue chip companies,” said K Selvaraju, secretary, SIMA. The state government will reimburse 40 per cent of the investment per company up to a maximum of Rs 40 crore, whichever is lower.

The 300 acres already earmarked at the SIPCOT industrial complex’s phase III is designed to accomodate 15 greenfield projects to process yarn, fabrics and garments. “Nine companies have confirmed their particiaption and many more have shown interest in the park and this is very encouraging,” said K Sevaraju.

According to an estimate, the project will process a minimum of 6 lakh metres of fabric a day and this can give a boost to the export of value-added finished products from the state. The Tamil Nadu government has already agreed to dedicate a power station for the park.

“Our source of energy will be steam generation and since the Cuddalore port is nearby we can even import coal for this purpose,” said Selvaraju.

SIMA also plans to build a storage and testing facility in the park. The construction will be world class and will meet international standards, whether it is processing or effluent management,” said Vijay Venkatswamy, chairman, SIMA.

The Cuddalore processing park will handle problems such as lack of sufficient water for processing and difficulties in safe disposal of effluents. The area carries abundant ground water and sea discharge of treated effluent while remaining within the stipulated pollution norms is possible.

“The greatest advantage of the location is that if the situation arises, a desalinaton plant can be set up to draw water from the sea,” said K Selvaraju.

Among the technology options looked into to handle the effluent including the disposal of solid wastes in the TPP are the water frugal technology and biological treatement.

Nagarjuna Oil Corporation would begin its fullfledged production by 2008. The finacial closure of the company was expected to be achived by 2005 but it has been delayed a years time.Nagarjuna's website has been updated. But some of the pages are still under construction.